Responding to Diversity: An Inclusive Health Promotion Technology Innovation

In concert with the conference theme, “Public Health Without Borders” we discuss, illustrate, and critically evaluate an innovative web-based portal designed to expand full access to health promotion education, knowledge, and communication globally. The 21st century is characterized by the omnipotence of technology in all aspects of personal and community living across the globe. And while technology has great promise for eliminating disparities to critically needed health promotion knowledge and education, the challenge of equal access to electronic communication remains vexing, particularly for populations who access computers atypically or have limited literacy. To meet the challenge of eliminating disparities in access to electronic health promotion communication, knowledge, and education, we developed and are currently evaluating the usability and learning outcomes derived from the use of a universally designed, innovative, web-based, interface, software portal. This portal builds on rather than duplicates existing health education efforts by creating a website interface that converts existing websites into alternative English literacy and accessible formats that can be further translated by existing language translation websites and screen readers. Rather than expecting individual sites to provide these features, the portal houses them server-side so that its translation options can be accessed, invoked and controlled by any user from any computer with Internet access across the globe. We present the prototype, its application to tobacco prevention education, the comprehensive usability evaluation results, and plans for future expansion of this innovative technology to the full range of electronic health promotion communication, education, and knowledge.